"BILLY THE KID" ADDS ONE MORE NOTCH TO HIS GUN AS A KILLER. TRAPPED AT
LAST BY PAT GARRETT AND POSSE. TWO OF HIS GANG KILLED. IN JAIL AT SANTA
FE.
In the year 1879, rich gold ore had been struck on Baxter mountain, three
miles from White Oaks Spring, about thirty miles north of Lincoln, and the
new town of White Oaks was established, with a population of about one
thousand souls.
The "Kid" had many friends in this hurrah mining camp. He had shot up the
town, and was wanted by the law officers.
On the 23rd day of November, 1880, the "Kid" celebrated his birthday in
White Oaks, under cover, among friends.
On riding out of town with his gang after dark, he took one friendly shot
at Deputy Sheriff Jim Woodland, who was standing in front of the Pioneer
Saloon. The chances are he had no intention of shooting Woodland, as he
was a warm friend to his chum, Tom O'Phalliard, who was riding by his
side. O'Phalliard and Jim Woodland had come to New Mexico from Texas
together, a few years previous. Woodland is still a resident of Lincoln
County, with a permanent home on the large Block cattle ranch.
This shot woke up Deputy Sheriffs Jim Carlyle and J. N. Bell, who fired
parting shots at the gang, as they galloped out of town.
The next day a posse was made up of leading citizens of White Oaks with
Deputy Sheriff Will Hudgens and Jim Carlyle in command. They followed the
trail of the outlaw gang to Coyote Spring, where they came onto the gang
in camp. Shots were exchanged. "Billy the Kid" had sprung onto his horse,
which was shot from under him.
When the "Kid's" gang fired on the posse, Johnny Hudgens' mount fell over
dead, shot in the head.
The weather was bitter cold and snow lay on the ground. Without overcoat
or gloves, "Billy the Kid" rushed for the hills, afoot, after his horse
fell. The rest of the gang had become separated, and each one looked out
for himself.
In the outlaws' camp the posse found a good supply of grub and plunder.
Jim Carlyle appropriated the "Kid's" gloves and put them on his hands. No
doubt they were the real cause of his death later.
With "Billy the Kid's" saddle, overcoat and the other plunder found in the
outlaws' camp, the posse returned to White Oaks, arriving there about
dark.
It would seem from all accounts that "Billy the Kid" trailed the posse
into White Oaks, where he found shelter at the Dedrick and West Livery
Stable. He was seen on the street during the night.
On November 27th, a posse of White Oaks citizens under command of Jim
Carlyle and Will Hudgens, rode to the Jim Greathouse road-ranch, about
forty miles north, arriving there before daylight. Their horses were
secreted, and they made breastworks of logs and brush, so as to cover the
ranch house, which was known to be a rendezvous of the "Kid's" gang.
After daylight the cook came out of the house with a nosebag and ropes to
hunt the horses which had been hobbled the evening before.
This cook, Steck, was captured by the posse behind the breastworks. He
confessed that the "Kid" and his gang were in the house.
Now Steck was sent to the house with a note to the "Kid" demanding his
surrender. The reply he sent back by Steck read: "You can only take me a
corpse."
The proprietor of the ranch, Jim Greathouse, accompanied Steck back to the
posse behind the logs.
Jimmie Carlyle suggested that he go to the house unarmed and have a talk
with the "Kid." Will Hudgens wouldn't agree to this until after Greathouse
said he would remain to guarantee Carlyle's safe return. That if the "Kid"
should kill Carlyle, they could take his life.
A time limit was set for Carlyle's return, or Greathouse would be killed.
This was written on a note and sent by Steck to the "Kid."
When Carlyle entered the saloon, in the front part of the log building,
the "Kid" greeted him in a friendly manner, but seeing his gloves sticking
out of Carlyle's coat pocket, he grabbed them, saying: "What in the h--l
are you doing with my gloves?" Of course this brought back the misery he
had endured without gloves after the posse raided their camp at Coyote
Spring.
Here he invited Carlyle up to the bar to take his last drink on earth--as
he said he intended to kill him when the whiskey was down.
After Carlyle had drained his glass the "Kid" pulled his pistol and told
him to say his prayers before he fired.
With a laugh the "Kid" put up his pistol, saying, "Why, Jimmie, I wouldn't
kill you. Let's all take another friendly drink."
Now the time was spent singing and dancing. Every time the gang took a
drink, Carlyle had to join them in a social glass.
The "Kid" afterwards told friends that he had no intention of killing
Carlyle, that he just wanted to detain him till after dark, so they could
make a dash for liberty.
The time had just expired when the posse were to kill Jim Greathouse, if
Carlyle was not back. At that moment a man behind the breastworks fired a
shot at the house. Carlyle supposed this shot had killed Greathouse, which
would result in his own death. He leaped for the glass window, taking sash
and all with him. The "Kid" fired a bullet into him. When he struck the
ground he began crawling away on his hands and knees, as he was badly
wounded. Now the "Kid" finished him with a well aimed shot from his
pistol.
The men behind the logs were witnesses to this murder,--as they could see
Carlyle crawling away from the window. Now they opened fire with a
vengeance on the building. The gang had previously piled sacks of grain
and flour against the doors, to keep out the bullets.
In the excitement, Jim Greathouse slipped away from the posse and ran
through the woods. Finding one of his own hobbled ponies, he mounted him
and rode away. He was later shot by desperado Joe Fowler, with a
double-barrel shot gun, as he lay in bed asleep. This murder took place on
Joe Fowler's cattle ranch west of Socorro, New Mexico.
After dark the posse concluded to return to White Oaks, as they were cold
and hungry. They had brought no grub with them, and they dared not build a
fire to keep warm, for fear of being shot by the gang.
A few hours later the "Kid" and gang made a break for liberty, intending
to fight the posse to a finish, they not knowing that the officers had
departed.
All night the gang waded through the deep snow, afoot. They arrived at Mr.
Spence's ranch at daylight, and ate a hearty breakfast. Then continued
their journey towards Anton Chico on the Pecos river.
About daylight that morning, Will Hudgens, Johnny Hurley, and Jim Brent
made up a large posse and started to the Greathouse road-ranch. Arriving
there, they found the place vacated. The buildings were set afire, then
the journey continued on the gang's trail, in the deep snow.
A highly respected citizen, by the name of Spence, had established a
road-ranch on a cut-off road between White Oaks and Las Vegas. The gang's
trail led up to this ranch, and Mr. Spence acknowledged cooking breakfast
for them.
Now Mr. Spence was dragged to a tree with a rope around his neck to hang
him. Many of the posse protested against the hanging of Spence, and his
life was spared, but revenge was taken by burning up his buildings.
The "Kid's" trail was now followed into a rough, hilly country and there
abandoned. Then the posse returned to White Oaks.
In Anton Chico, the "Kid" and his party stole horses and saddles, and rode
down the Pecos river.
A few days later, Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, arrived in
Anton Chico from Fort Sumner, to make up a posse to run down the "Kid" and
his gang.
At this time the writer and Bob Roberson had arrived in Anton Chico from
Tascosa, Texas, with a crew of fighting cowboys, to help run down the
"Kid," and put a stop to the stealing of Panhandle, Texas, cattle.
The author had charge of five "warriors," Jas. H. East, Cal Polk, Lee
Hall, Frank Clifford (Big-Foot Wallace), and Lon Chambers. We were armed
to the teeth, and had four large mules to draw the mess-wagon, driven by
the Mexican cook, Francisco.
Bob Roberson was in charge of five riders and a mess-wagon.
At our camp, west of Anton Chico, Pat Garrett met us, and we agreed to
loan him a few of our "warriors." The writer turned over to him three men,
Jim East, Lon Chambers and Lee Hall. Bob Roberson turned over to him three
cowboys, Tom Emmory, Bob Williams, and Louis Bozeman.
We then continued our journey to White Oaks in a raging snow storm.
Pat Garrett started down the Pecos river with his crew, consisting of our
six cowboys, his brother-in-law, Barney Mason, and Frank Stewart, who had
been acting as detective for the Panhandle cattlemen's association.
At Fort Sumner, Pat Garrett deputized Charlie Rudolph and a few Mexican
friends, to join the crowd which now numbered about thirteen men.
Finding that the "Kid" and party had been in Fort Sumner, and made the old
abandoned United States Hospital building, where lived Charlie Bowdre and
his half-breed Mexican wife, their headquarters, Pat Garrett concluded to
camp there. He figured that the outlaws would return and visit Mrs.
Charlie Bowdre, whose husband was one of the outlaw band.
In order to get a true record of the capture of "Billy the Kid" and gang,
the author wrote to James H. East, of Douglas, Arizona, for the facts. Jim
East is the only known living participant in that tragic event. His
reputation for honesty and truthfulness is above par wherever he is known.
He served eight years as sheriff of Oldham County, Texas, at Tascosa, and
was city marshal for several years in Douglas, Arizona.
Herewith his letter to the writer is printed in full:
"Douglas, Arizona,
May 1st, 1920.
Dear Charlie:
Yours of the 29th received, and contents noted. I will try to answer
your questions, but you know after a lapse of forty years, one's
memory may slip a cog. First: We were quartered in the old Government
Hospital building in Ft. Sumner, the night of the first fight. Lon
Chambers was on guard. Our horses were in Pete Maxwell's stable.
Sheriff Pat Garrett, Tom Emory, Bob Williams, and Barney Mason were
playing poker on a blanket on the floor.
I had just laid down on my blanket in the corner, when Chambers ran in
and told us that the 'Kid' and his gang were coming. It was about
eleven o'clock at night. We all grabbed our guns and stepped out in
the yard.
Just then the 'Kid's' men came around the corner of the old hospital
building, in front of the room occupied by Charlie Bowdre's woman and
her mother. Tom O'Phalliard was riding in the lead. Garrett yelled
out: 'Throw up your hands!' But O'Phalliard jerked his pistol. Then
the shooting commenced. It being dark, the shooting was at random.
Tom O'Phalliard was shot through the body, near the heart, and lost
control of his horse. 'Kid' and the rest of his men whirled their
horses and ran up the road.
O'Phalliard's horse came up near us, and Tom said: 'Don't shoot any
more, I am dying.' We helped him off his horse and took him in, and
laid him down on my blanket. Pat and the other boys then went back to
playing poker.
I got Tom some water. He then cussed Garrett and died, in about thirty
minutes after being shot.
The horse that Dave Rudabaugh was riding was shot, but not killed
instantly. We found the dead horse the next day on the trail, about
one mile or so east of Ft. Sumner.
After Dave's horse fell down from loss of blood, he got up behind
Billy Wilson, and they all went to Wilcox's ranch that night.
The next morning a big snow storm set in and put out their trail, so
we laid over in Sumner and buried Tom O'Phalliard.
The next night, after the fight, it cleared off and about midnight,
Mr. Wilcox rode in and reported to us that the "Kid," Dave Rudabaugh,
Billy Wilson, Tom Pickett, and Charlie Bowdre, had eaten supper at his
ranch about dark, then pulled out for the little rock house at
Stinking Spring. So we saddled up and started about one o'clock in the
morning.
We got to the rock house just before daylight. Our horses were left
with Frank Stewart and some of the other boys under guard, while
Garrett took Lee Hall, Tom Emory and myself with him. We crawled up
the arroyo to within about thirty feet of the door, where we lay down
in the snow.
There was no window in this house, and only one door, which we would
cover with our guns.
The "Kid" had taken his race mare into the house, but the other three
horses were standing near the door, hitched by ropes to the vega
poles.
Just as day began to show, Charlie Bowdre came out to feed his horse,
I suppose, for he had a moral in one hand. Garrett told him to throw
up his hands, but he grabbed at his six-shooter. Then Garrett and Lee
Hall both shot him in the breast. Emory and I didn't shoot, for there
was no use to waste ammunition then.
Charlie turned and went into the house, and we heard the 'Kid' say to
him: 'Charlie, you are done for. Go out and see if you can't get one
of the s--of--b's before you die.'
Charlie then walked out with his hand on his pistol, but was unable to
shoot. We didn't shoot, for we could see he was about dead. He
stumbled and fell on Lee Hall. He started to speak, but the words died
with him.
Now Garrett, Lee, Tom and I, fired several shots at the ropes which
held the horses, and cut them loose--all but one horse which was half
way in the door. Garrett shot him down, and that blocked the door, so
the 'Kid' could not make a wolf dart on his mare.
We then held a medicine talk with the Kid, but of course couldn't see
him. Garrett asked him to give up, Billy answered: 'Go to h--l, you
long-legged s-- of a b!'
Garrett then told Tom Emory and I to go around to the other side of
the house, as we could hear them trying to pick out a port-hole. Then
we took it, time about, guarding the house all that day. When nearly
sundown, we saw a white handkerchief on a stick, poked out of the
chimney. Some of us crawled up the arroyo near enough to talk to
'Billy.' He said they had no show to get away, and wanted to
surrender, if we would give our word not to fire into them, when they
came out. We gave the promise, and they came out with their hands up,
but that traitor, Barney Mason, raised his gun to shoot the 'Kid,'
when Lee Hall and I covered Barney and told him to drop his gun, which
he did.
Now we took the prisoners and the body of Charlie Bowdre to the
Wilcox ranch, where we stayed until next day. Then to Ft. Sumner,
where we delivered the body of Bowdre to his wife. Garrett asked Louis
Bousman and I to take Bowdre in the house to his wife. As we started
in with him, she struck me over the head with a branding iron, and I
had to drop Charlie at her feet. The poor woman was crazy with grief.
I always regretted the death of Charlie Bowdre, for he was a brave
man, and true to his friends to the last.
Before we left Ft. Sumner with the prisoners for Santa Fe, the 'Kid'
asked Garrett to let Tom Emory and I go along as guards, which, as you
know, he did.
The 'Kid' made me a present of his Winchester rifle, but old Beaver
Smith made such a roar about an account he said 'Billy' owed him,
that at the request of 'Billy,' I gave old Beaver the gun. I wish now
I had kept it.
On the road to Santa Fe, the 'Kid' told Garrett this: That those who
live by the sword, die by the sword. Part of that prophecy has come
true. Pat Garrett got his, but I am still alive.
I must close. You may use any quotations from my letters, for they are
true. Good luck to you. Mrs. East joins me in best wishes.
Sincerely yours,
JAS. H. EAST."
The author had previously written to Jim East about "Billy the Kid's"
sweetheart, Miss Dulcinea del Toboso. Here is a quotation from his answer,
of April 26th, 1920: "Your recollection of Dulcinea del Toboso, about
tallies with the way I remember her. She was rather stout, built like her
mother, but not so dark.
"After we captured 'Billy the Kid' at Arroyo Tivan, we took him, Dave
Rudabaugh, Billy Wilson, and Tom Pickett--also the dead body of Charlie
Bowdre--to Fort Sumner.
"After dinner Mrs. Toboso sent over an old Navajo woman to ask Pat Garrett
to let 'Billy' come over to the house and see them before taking him to
Santa Fe. So Garrett told Lee Hall and I to guard 'Billy' and Dave
Rudebough over to Toboso's, Dave and 'Billy' being shackled together. As
we went over the lock on Dave's leg came loose, and 'Billy' being very
superstitious, said: 'That is a bad sign. I will die, and Dave will go
free,' which, as you know, proved true.
"When we went in the house only Mrs. Toboso, Dulcinea, and the old Navajo
woman were there.
"Mrs. Toboso asked Hall and I to let 'Billy' and Dulcinea go into another
room and talk awhile, but we did not do so, for it was only a stall of
'Billy's' to make a run for liberty, and the old lady and the girl were
willing to further the scheme. The lovers embraced, and she gave 'Billy'
one of those soul kisses the novelists tell us about, till it being time
to hit the trail for Vegas, we had to pull them apart, much against our
wishes, for you know all the world loves a lover."
It was December 23rd, 1880, when the "Kid" and gang, Dave Rudebaugh, Tom
Pickett and Billy Wilson--were captured, and Charlie Bowdre killed.
The prisoners were taken to the nearest railroad, at Las Vegas, where a
mob tried to take them away from the posse, to string them up.
They were placed in the County jail at Santa Fe, the capital of the
Territory of New Mexico, as the penitentiary was not yet completed.
Dave Rudebaugh was tried and sentenced to death for the killing of the
jailer in Las Vegas. Later he made his escape and has never been heard of
since.